PICLotto the random Lotto and Thunderball selection device
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PICLotto the random Lotto and Thunderball selection device |
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| Schematic | Pictures | Download | Instructions | Order a programmed PIC |
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| For a long time now, I have been interested in programming PICs. They are Programmable Integrated Circuits. The amazing thing about these little beauties, is that they are a computer system all in one chip. They usually have a couple or more ports...(connexions into, and out of the chip) some have a USB interface built in, and others have a serial port in them. Most these days have Flash Memory, so you can program them to do something, and then at a later date, erase them and insert a different program. To do this you use a PIC programmer. | ||||||
| One of the PICS I like using comes from MicroChip, and is capable of programming itself!! I don't mean it makes it's own program, I mean you just load a great piece of software called a bootloader, and then the chip stays in it's destination gadget, and you can update it's program through a hardware serial port. A very clever guy called Myke Predko has developed a BASIC language version for this particular PIC, and to program it, you connect a PC serial port running Hyperterminal, and then it behaves like the old console driven Basic interpreters.. Awesome. | ||||||
| The particular PIC I'm referring to is the MicroChip 16F877A | ||||||
| I have a great belief in randomness, and if you really want to win a lottery, you have to accept that the balls are selected randomly, therefore no method, or formula is ever going to make your selection win. A similarly random selection has at best equal odds. I set about building a device to give me a series of numbers I could use for Lotto and Thunderball. About the same time I was looking at the 16F877A, I was also looking at HD44870 LCD screens. These devices come in various guises:- different colours and different sizes..2x16 2x20 4x16 4x20 2x40 etc. | ||||||
| I had a feeling these were a bit over the top considering I only wanted 6 numbers displayed. I recently saw some 2x8 versions on Ebay, and snapped a few up. so now I had the parts I needed, how was I going to make this gadget work. | ||||||
| Most programmers know there is no computer program capable of providing a genuine random number...they follow instructions and all the time the instructions don't change, the sequence won't either so a better method is needed. I decided to let the user contribute to the randomness. When I'm ready to calculate a number, I light an LED. Once that LED is lit, the program is running through it's sequence and only looking at numbers between 1 and 49 in the case of Lotto, and 1 and 34 in Thunderball. The resulting number is only chosen when the user operates a pushbutton in response to the LED lighting. The time interval between the LED lighting, and the button being pressed is probably a lot more random than computer generated numbers. | ||||||
| For the programmers among us, I found debouncing the keypresses a big challenge, until I got my head around checking if it is pushed, ok now check to see it is not. Only then has a valid press been detected. | ||||||
| Here is the circuit diagram....nothing too taxing here. | ||||||
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| List of parts:- | ||||||
| 1 x development board | ||||||
| 1 x 40 pin Dil Socket | ||||||
| 1 x 9v Battery clip | ||||||
| 1 x 9v Battery | ||||||
| 1 x 4Mhz Resonator, or crystal with 2 x 180pf capacitors | ||||||
| 1 x 7805 5v Regulator | ||||||
| 1 x PIC 16F877A | ||||||
| 1 x 10uF 20v Capacitor | ||||||
| 1 x 680 ohm 0.25 watt resistor | ||||||
| 2 x 10k ohm 0.25 watt resistor | ||||||
| 1 x 10k variable resistor | ||||||
| 1 x LCD 8x2 HD44870 compatible | ||||||
| 1 x 5mm LED | ||||||
| 2 x Push switches | ||||||
| NB. I can supply a ready programmed 16F877A for £9.99 to order. Pse email me if you would like me to send you the PIC pre-programmed. Paul Bartlett | ||||||
| Here are some photos of my development board:- | ||||||
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| The program running in the PIC can be downloaded here:- PICLotto.hex | ||||||
| Instructions for Use: | ||||||
| Lotto | ThunderBall | ||||
| This is a draw of 6 numbers ranging between 1 - 49 | This is a draw of 5 numbers from 1 - 34, and 1 number from 1 - 14 | ||||
| Action | Screen | LED | Action | Screen | LED |
| Apply power (9v) and switch on. |
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Off | Apply power (9v) and switch on. |
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Off |
| Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off | Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off |
| Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off | Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off |
| Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off | Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off |
| Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off | Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off |
| Press button 1 for Lotto,or Press button 2 for Thunderball..let's press 1 for Lotto. |
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Off | Press button 1 for Lotto,or Press button 2 for Thunderball..let's press 2 for Thunderball. |
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Off |
| Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off | Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off |
| Wait for LED to Light. |
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On | Wait for LED to Light. |
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On |
| Press button 1. |
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Off | Press button 1. |
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Off |
| Wait for LED to Light. |
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On | Wait for LED to Light. |
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On |
| Press button 1. |
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Off | Press button 1. |
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Off |
| Wait for LED to Light. |
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On | Wait for LED to Light. |
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On |
| Press button 1. |
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Off | Press button 1. |
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Off |
| Wait for LED to Light. |
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On | Wait for LED to Light. |
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On |
| Press button 1. |
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Off | Press button 1. |
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Off |
| Wait for LED to Light. |
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On | Wait for LED to Light. |
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On |
| Press button 1. |
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Off | Press button 1. |
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Off |
| Wait for LED to Light. |
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On | Wait for LED to Light. |
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On |
| Press button 1. |
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Off | Press button 1. |
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Off |
| You should notice that on this last button press, not only has our sixth number appeared, All the numbers are now sorted lowest - highest. | Wait a couple of seconds. |
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Off |
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